Rafa Benitez makes me laugh with his comments about Blackburn.
What do these managers expect? Do they think the teams from the bottom half are going to turn up at their place and say "you have a shot, we have a shot"? Do they think they're going to lie down, lose 7-1 and let everybody go home thinking how good the big team looked?
Allardyce: tactics questioned by Benitez
The reason the Premier League is so good is because every team is different. Jose Mourinho used to moan that teams parked the bus in front of the goal when they played Chelsea. Well surely he should be spending Monday to Friday training his squad of internationals to break those teams down?
Sam Allardyce has a different job. His job is to keep the big teams out and I don't think it's right that Benitez is having a moan at him. If Blackburn had gone to Anfield and played open football they would have needed to put more lightbulbs in the scoreboard!
If Blackburn had gone to Anfield and played open football they would have needed to put more lightbulbs in the scoreboard!
Paul Merson
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Tottenham v Blackburn
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Blackburn will go to Tottenham with the same approach because Spurs are a good team - and there's nothing wrong with that. Allardyce simply wants to keep his club in the Premier League.
Look at Burnley; they play nice football but they're going to get relegated. I would rather do what Blackburn are doing and stay in the Premier League.
Too much
However, I think high-flying Tottenham will have too much for them on Saturday.
Even in the games when they've failed to score this season, Spurs have always made chances. The opposition goalkeeper is often man of the match when Tottenham play.
I've played under Harry Redknapp and he wants his teams to attack, attack, attack. He doesn't mess about and he'll make sure his team go out to get an early goal on Saturday.
Playing at 12.45pm will be an advantage for them as well. If they can win this game, they can extend the gap on the other teams going for fourth. The rest will have to win just to stay with them and the pressure will be on.
It starts to get interesting now with 10 games left. Games you think might be a walk in the park end up being banana skins. Defeats don't seem to matter at the start of the season, but you can't afford to lose these games now.
But you always want to play early, especially if you've got a nice game at home. And I do think they'll win this one.
PAUL'S PREDICTION
Home win -Don't get me wrong, Tottenham don't always get results when they don't score early but I expect to see them going straight at Blackburn. I think Tottenham will get a quick goal and I can see them running out as 3-0 winners.
MERSON'S MAGIC MAN
Jermain Defoe - I pick him all the time, but he's such an important player. He's lively, he scores goals and if he can put a chance away early it'll be a nice day for Tottenham. He's one of the top goalscoring centre-forwards in the Premier League.
Comments (18)
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Bradley Burke (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
i agree,if we get an early goal were go on to win 3 or 4-0 easy,but if not were make it hard for ourselfs,either way nothing but a win will do for us
Posted 15:32 12th March 2010
John Mcgarvey (Blackburn Rovers fan) says...
Taking into account the resources at each managers disposal, Spurs should win comfortably. Some pundits and opposition managers take the easy option consistently and the 'Rovers hoofball, thugs' routine is one that gets used cheaply. Versus Liverpool, Rovers were the better side, more shots, attempts etc. Why doesnt this get reported? Looking at the disciplinary record of both teams this season they are very similar, so much for Rovers being the nasty neighbours to Liverpools sublime football. Hope to get something from the game, but Spur's £40m transfer budget per season against our £2m makes me believe it wont happen. With that in mind and Spurs win, does that make Rednapp the better manager? I could be Hamilton in a driving competition if I had a Porche and he had a Fiesta (not that the Rovers are a Fiesta) (or Spurs a Porche)!
Posted 15:19 12th March 2010
Tom Nolan (Manchester United fan) says...
Heed jacobsen, your team CAN play the type of football Liverpool plays.I think any team can play the football liverpool play because there is no method in it.Liverpool's team is just a bunch of average players working extremely hard to make up for for other areas.the likes of stoke,wigan,aston villa,Birmingham, hull city and rest of the league can play like Liverpool if they put their minds to it.it is not a science.they have one star (torres) & a diver,cheat (gerrard).the FA definately have their favorites,gerrard made a two fingered gesture at a ref & doesn't get punishied at all.
Posted 15:17 12th March 2010
Daniel Da silva (Blackburn Rovers fan) says...
I agree entirely with you Mers. We operate on a shoe string budget and have to compete on whatever level we can. Rafael Bentiez is the most negative manager of any of the "big" clubs, constantly playing two holding midfielders (even with a £20m Aquilani fit) and making strange defensive substitutions even when chasing a game. Infact Rafa, I hear Barcelona are thinking of adopting your style of play after the magnificent Wigan and Lille performances. The mans arrogance and contempt for smaller clubs knows no bounds, remember the "Everton are a small club" jibe!?! We dont play attractive football but were honest, hard working and will be in the Premiership next year. We will also have as many trophies to show for our campaign as Rafa come May! RTID!
Posted 13:57 12th March 2010
Steven Dolby (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Blackburn like it's team is desperately depressing, just like Bolton, Wigan, Burnley - infact any team in that area is dross and dont belong in the Premier League. Sonner they get relegated the better, and if they win tomorrow I will run naked from London to Blackburn and chop off my man bits.
Posted 13:38 12th March 2010
Stu Blake (Blackburn Rovers fan) says...
I agree with Selwyn, I'm a rovers fan I think it could be a draw or 1-0 either way. The important thing for ROVERS is that Big Sam could be bringing in Dunny to the starting line up which could be a massive influence on Blackburn's style of play. Rovers til I die.
Posted 12:56 12th March 2010
Russell Pops (Blackburn Rovers fan) says...
Good article Merson! I agree with the style of football that some of the lesser clubs need to play against the top teams in order to survive in the prem. Benitez makes me laugh along with Wenger when they say that teams go out to hurt their players. It's not entirely true but teams will get physical against them because they know they have a better chance of winning as some teams give in - predominantly Arsenal and Liverpool. However, we outplayed Liverpool the other week and should have got something out of that match. I think it will be a different story at Spurs tomorrow and despite a good start, can see us getting put under the kosh as with so many of our away games. Cant be dsloyal however so have to say 1-0 blackburn! come on Samba!
Posted 12:24 12th March 2010
Peter Mander (Stoke City fan) says...
i think teams like blackburn and my team deserve credit for just being able to stay in the prem. we dont have the income of the bigger and more astablished clubs. i think wenger and rafa want teams like porto or milan who cannot tackle or be physical and roll over and give up if everyone was like this how boring football would be you have the ball and score then we have the ball and score how very snobish. goos on big sam for standing up for english football
Posted 11:21 12th March 2010
Danny Roberts (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Tottenham have, this season produced football to make me very proud - and I have constantly reminded people - 'that's why I support Spurs'. Blackburn will provide a stern test, and with the pace of Lennon lacking it won't be easy - but I do feel we just have the edge technically and we'll edge it 2-1. Kudos to big sam.. it may not be pretty - but it get's results - just not my cup of tea!
Posted 11:12 12th March 2010
Darren Watson (Blackburn Rovers fan) says...
Well done Merse for saying it exactly how it is! Clubs like ours, where prem status is everything, are never going to allow teams time,space etc. if we did we'd get mullered. I think it will be the same against Spurs, maybe a 1-1 or 2-1 home win?
Posted 10:25 12th March 2010
Glenn Dyer (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
i too think we will walk this one but as a spurs fan you have to have the stoke, wolves & hull home games in the back of your mind. city and villa have games in hand on us but like they say, id rather have the points on the board. if we do our job tomorrow then thats all we can do and hope the others slip up here and there. the cup semi could work in our favour if we get there as it will break up the arsenal, chelsea and united games. the thought of having those 3 all in a row isn't the best! in saying that arsenal and chelsea at home are not games we fear anymore and it's nice to hear merson saying good things about us this season! although i stil can't make out if it's mind games or not, talking us up at the start of each game!
Posted 09:51 12th March 2010
Heed Jacobsen (Blackburn Rovers fan) says...
It´s nice to see someone who bothers looking at things from the small-club perspective, so kudos to Merson..... I´m a Rover fan, and starting to get sick and tired of all the "big guns" who think that, just because they´re either playing for or managing a big club, can diss those who interact in the small clubs. We need to take a look at the budget of each club before we start lashing out. Small clubs like Rovers and Trotters simply cannot play the kind of football that Liverpool and Man Utd play, because the budget and ergo the quality of players, wont allow it. Again, thanx Merson :-) Rovers ´til I die
Posted 07:56 12th March 2010
Khush V (Blackburn Rovers fan) says...
Sir, enjoyable article, however with all due respect, there is one part of your article which I think is slightly flawed. I¿m not sure if you watched the Liverpool Blackburn game in its entirety. Blackburn played the better football, they were more attacking, and at no point was the bus ever parked in front of goal. Tackles were flying and Rovers did their very best to stop Liverpool playing. It seemed to work well. However, Liverpool won and the difference was the Gerrard, Torres and Reina trio. Three quality players and arguably the best in the business. They won Liverpool the three points on the day. I agree with your opinion that Spurs are a top team. They have spent enormous sums of money on players, and Harry Redknapp is doing well to manage the team. Most people expect Spurs to get all three points on Saturday however I am not too sure. Rovers will fight this out, and Big Sam will see this as a game in which Rovers can win. I do think you're way off with a 3-0 victory though.
Posted 06:14 12th March 2010
Joe Sullivan (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
I certainly hope this is true! It's about time we broke the top four, and forever will we screw it up. We have some teams on our heels, and I mean hot on our heels, so as Merson says, we need to create that gap and pressurise teams that would struggle much more with that pressure, such as Man city, who are still a young squad, in the aspect of their experience as a team. Spurs need to utilise everything they have, and Blackburn are simply one of those teams we NEED to be getting 3 points from, home or away, if we are ever to break the curse that seems to be the bane of the Yid army.
Posted 03:38 12th March 2010
Stephen Morrissey (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Have to agree although we do seem to slip up in the games we should win. If spurs dont do it this year i dont know if they ever will. gonna go 2-0 spurs
Posted 22:56 11th March 2010
P Smeds (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Thanks Mers - got to be the first time this season you have predicted a Spurs Win!! - Are you feeling ok?! Yeah I kind of agree....Spurs should win this one. I say should because although we have played well this season, there is still an inconsistancy in our games. Games you think is a hands down 3 points - we end up walking away with nothing! I am quite confident - I think 2-0 though! We need to ensure we attach from the start! Should be a good game! Come on the Spurs!
Posted 21:27 11th March 2010
Selwyn Govender (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Hopefully, Spurs have gotten out of the rot they were in. Many points were dropped due to their lack of having a killer instinct. They are also missing Lennon's presence. Blackburn is a tough team to beat and this match might go down till the final minutes. Possibly a draw or 1-0 to either team.
Posted 21:07 11th March 2010
Glenn Easlea (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Mers you are a top man and speak a lot of sense, but you are starting to worry all spurs fans like myself keep tipping us to win. That must be hard for you considering you are ex Arsenal !! As for the Blackburn game, I hope you are right, they are a tough nut to crack but I expect a close win on Saturday, although I do think top 4 is just out of our reach!! I hope you are bang on with the result as you were with the Wigan result of late!!
Posted 16:58 11th March 2010
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